Web tensiometer



Aug. 14, 1956 R. L.. BowEN, JR

WEB TENsIoMETER Filed Oct. 9, 1952 RichargyLeBoron Bowen,dr. MJ/M AmRNEYUnited States Patent 2,758,'472 WEB TENsIoMEmR Richard L. Bowen, Jr.,Pawtucket, R. I.

Application October 9, 1952, SerialNo. 313,889 4 iClaims. (C1. 73-144)This invention relates to tensiometers an'd 'more particularly to adevice'for determining the tension ona web of material.

One of the objects of the present -inve'ntion is to provide atensiometer reading of 'the tension on Vthe web of cloth used in acoating machine.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tensiometerreading of the tension onV the w'eb of cloth used in a coating machineand'thereby'permit the operator to manually adjust the controls ofthe'machine to maintain a web tension in accordance with the tensiometerreadings.

Other objects of the present invention will be pointed out in part andbecome apparent in part in 'the following specification and claims.

Uniform tension is aprerequisiteto uniformit of product in many webprocessing machines such as textiles, paper, imitation leather, printingand .the like. Especially is this true in coatingsmachinery'where ,thetension on the web effects the nature of the application of the coatingbeing applied to the'cloth. *When a supply roll of cloth 'is placed inthe machine 4'the cloth is drawn off at a constant speed and at a giventension. As the diameter of the supply roll decreases, the speed orlinear travel of the cloth is mantained Constant. However, the tensionon the cloth increases as the drag on the `supply roll increases becausethe decreasing diameter produces more revolutions per minute. It isnecessary to decrease the drag or friction on the supply roll shaft ifthe tension on the cloth is to be mantained constant. In the pastconstant tension devices have failed to give an instrument reading ofthe tension on the web. Past devices have also failed to automaticallycontrol the drag and regulate the tension accurately in accordance witha scientific indication of the tension. A tension curve of the presentcontrols would be a straight line. The tension curves of presentcommercial controls would not be.

Referring to the drawings in which similar characters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in all the figures:

Figure l is a schematic view of the essential elements of the newtensiometer.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the nerve roller and the actuatingmechanism.

Figure 3 is a detail view of the bellows in Vertical cross section.

Figure 4 is a Vertical sectional view of a diaphragm which is asubstitute for the bollows.

Figure 5 is a schematic view of a recording pressure gage.

In proceeding with this invention there is provided a supply beam of webmaterial 11 which is supported in the frame 12 of a plastic coatingmachine (illustrated by way of example). The web 13 passes over an idleroller 14 supported in frame 12. It then passes around a nerve roller 15to a second idle roller 16 and on past a knife coating head to dryingovens and a windup roll. The last three devices are not shown becausethey are well known in the art.

The nerve roller 15 mounted upon a shaft 20 suitably i number of feetper minute.

2,758,472 g Patented Aug. 14, 1955 ice supported in the ears 21, 22 of aframe 23 which is pivotally mounted by means of shafts 26 and 26A inbrackets 24, 25 secured to frameslZ and 12A.

- A U-shaped arm 27 secured to the frame 12 has secured thereto abellows 28 of the type commercially known as a Sylphon bellows. Thebellows 28 responds to the position of frame 23 at 30. A pressure gage31 lof any conventional commercial manufacture is `mounted in anyconvenient position on or oif the frame 12. A tube 32 connects bellows28 with pressure gage 31. A fluid contained in bellows 28, tube 32 andpressure gage 31 causes the latter to respond to the reaction of theformer thereby indicating the position of frame 23 as it pivots onshafts 26 and 26A to indicate the position of nerve roll 15 in responseto the tautness of web 13.

When a supply beam 11 is placed on frame 12 the web I material 13 rollsoff ata maximum diameter at a given As the beam diameter becomessmaller, the speed of supply beam 11 in R. P. Mfs increases therebyincreasing the tension on the web. This increased tension aifects theapplication of the coating material,`producing a non-uniformcoating andresulting vin secondary product. By maintaining the tension constant oruniform, the coating application is more readily uniformly appliedresulting in a high grade uniform product. To achieve this end a brake35 mounted on frame 12 and acting on supply .beam shaft 36 is manuallycontrolled in accordance with the tension indicated on pressure gage 31.a

Because tension control is so vitally important to first gradeworkmanship and `hence quality product, it may `be vfound expedient tosubstitute a recording pressure gage 39 in place of pressure gage 31.This would pro- Vduce a permanent record of the tension applied to theindividual supply beam of 'web material, thereby exercising productioncontrol. The recording pressure gage` 39 is a commercially manufacturedproduct.

Figura 4 depicts a diaphragm generally indicated by 'reference character40 and comprises a two part housing '41, 42 fastened together by meansof screws v43. Housing 41 is provided with a threaded shank 44 which maybe secured to arm 27. A membrane 45 is positioned between the two partsof housing 41, 42 and is held in position by screws 43 intermediatechambers 46, 47 formed between the housings 41, 42. Tube 32 is securedin housing 41 and communicates with chamber 46. A plunger 48 slidablymounted in housing 42 and acting in chamber 47 uponmembrane 45 isoperatively connected at 30 to frame 23. As plunger 48 responds to theposition of Vpressure gager31 or recording pressure gage 39, as the casemay be.

It becomes evident that a piston or other mechanical equivalent of adiaphragm 40 or a bellows 28 may be substituted for the diaphragm 40 andbellows 28 shown and described without departing from the spirit orscope of this invention.

What I claim is:

l. In a machine for maintaining uniform tension on a traveling web, aframe, a shaft provided with a brake drum rotatably mounted in saidframe, a supply beam of Web material fixed to said shaft, brake handspivotally mounted in said frame engaging said brake drum, oppositelydisposed idler rollers in spaced Vertical alignment supported in saidframe, a force responsive fluid pressure element supported in saidframe, a pressure indicator fixed in said frame operatively connected tosaid force responsive fluid pressure element, oppositely disposedbrackets in horizontal alignment secured to said frame, a second framepivotally mounted intermediate said brackets, said second frameengageable and disengageable With said force responsive fluid pressureelement, a nerve roller rotatably mounted in said second frameintermediate said idler rollers, said traveling web having a takeofffrom said supply beam of Web material to one of said idler rollers,thence to said nerve roller and to the other idler roller and beyond,said brake bands being manually operated in accordance With the readingon said indicator, said nerve roller reacting to the tension on saidtraveling Web. i

2. In a machine for maintaining uniform tension on a traveling web, aframe, a shaft provided With a brake drum rotatably mounted in saidframe, a supply beam of web material fixed to said shaft, brakev bandspivotally mounted in said frame engaging said brake drum, oppositelydisposed idler rollers in spaced Vertical alignment supported in saidframe, a bellows fixed on one end to said frame, a pressureindicator'fixed in said frame operatively connected to said bellows,oppositely disposed brackets in horizontal alignment secured to saidframe,

a second frame pivotally mounted intermediate said brackets, a nerveroller rotatably mounted in said second frame intermediate said idlerroller, said second frame engaging and disengaging said bellows inresponse to the action of said nerve roller, said traveling Web having atakeoff from said supply beam ofweb material to one of said idlerrollers, thence to said nerve roller and to the other idler roller andbeyond, said brake bands being manually operated in accordance With thereading on said indicator, said nerve roller reacting to the tension onsaid traveling Web, said tension passing from said nerve roller to saidsecond frame and thence to said bellows and said indicator. i i

3. In a machine for maintaining uniform tension on a traveling Web, aframe, a shaft provided With a brake drum rotatably mounted in saidframe, a supply beam of Web material fixed to said shaft, brake bandspivotally mounted in said frame engaging said brake drum, oppositelydisposed idler rollers in spaced Vertical alignment supported in saidframe, a diaphragm having a plunger, said diaphragm being fixed to saidframe, a pressure recorder fixed in said frame operatively connected tosaid diaphragm, oppositely disposed brackets in horizontal alignmentsecured to said frame, a second frame pivotally mounted intermediatesaid brackets, a nerve roller rotatably mounted in said second frameintermediate said idler rollers, said second frame engaging anddisengaging said plunger in response to the action of said nerve roller,said traveling web having a takeoff from said supply beam of webmaterial to one of said idler rollers, thence to said nerve roller andto the other idler roller and beyond, said brake bands being manuallyoperated in accordance with the reading on said recording on saidpressure recorder, said nerve roller reacting to the tension on saidtraveling web, said tension passing from said nerve roller to saidsecond frame and thence to said plunger and through said diaphragm tosaid pressure recorder.

4. In a machine for indicating tension on a traveling web, a frame, asupply beam of web material supported in said frame, oppositely disposedidler rollers in spaced Vertical alignment supported in said frame, aforce responsive fluid pressure element supported in said frame, apressure indicator fixed in said frame operatively connected to saidforce responsive fluid pressure element, oppositely disposed brackets inhorizontal alignment secured to each side of said frame, a second framepivotally mounted intermediate said brackets, said second frame beingengageable and disengageable With said force responsive fiuid pressureelement, a nerve roller rotatably mounted in said second frameintermediate said idler rollers, said traveling web having a takeofffrom said supply beam of web material to one of said idler rollers,thence to said nerve roller to the other idler roller and beyond, saidnerve roller reacting to the tension on the web and indicating saidtension on the pressure indicator.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS558,426 Scott Apr. 14, 1896 1,650,603 Burton Nov. 29, 1927 1,882,932Rosen Oct. 18, 1932 2,131,868 Bolton et al Oct. 4, 1938 2,462,558Scheuermann et al Feb. 22, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 138,761 Great BritainFeb. 19, 1920 173,851 Great Britain Ian. 5. 1922

1. IN A MACHINE FOR MAINTAINING UNIFORM TENSION ON A TRAVELING WEB, AFRAME, A SHAFT PROVIDED WITH A BRAKE DRUM ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAIDFRAME, A SUPPLY BEAM OF WEB MATERIAL FIXED TO SAID SHAFT, BRAKE BANDSPIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN SAID FRAME ENGAGING SAID BRAKE DRUMS, OPPOSITELYDISPOSED IDLER ROLLERS IN SPACED VERTICAL ALIGNMENT SUPPORTED IN SAIDFRAME, A FORCE RESPONSIVE FLUID PRESSURE ELEMENT SUPPORTED IN SAIDFRAME, A PRESSURE INDICATOR FIXED IN SAID FRAME OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TOSAID FORCE RESPONSIVE FLUID PRESSURE ELEMENT, OPPOSITELY DISPOSEDBRACKETS IN HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT SECURED TO SAID FRAME, A SECOND FRAMEPIVOTALLY MOUNTED INTERMEDIATE SAID BRACKETS, SAID SECOND FRAMEENGAGEABLE AND DISENGAGEABLE WITH SAID FORCE RESPONSIVE FLUID PRESSUREELEMENT,